देवा वैकुण्ठ इत्याद्दुर्वेदा विष्णुरिति प्रभुम्
The gods call him Vaikuṇṭha; the learned know him as Viṣṇu, the Lord.
भारतस्यास्य वर्षस्य तथा हैमवतस्य च। प्रमाणमायुषः सूत बलं चापि शुभाशुभम्
O Sūta, tell me the measure of life, strength, and the auspicious and inauspicious aspects of this land of Bhārata and also of the Himālayan region.
अनागतमतिक्रान्तं वर्तमानं च संजय । आचक्ष्व मे विस्तरेण हरिवर्षं तथैव च
O Sañjaya, describe to me in detail what is yet to come, what has passed, and what is present, as well as Harivarṣa.
चत्वारि भारते वर्षे युगानि भरतर्षभ। कृतं त्रेता द्वापरं च तिष्यं च कुरुवर्धन
O best of the Bharatas, there are four ages in the land of Bhārata: Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Tiṣya, O enhancer of the Kuru line.
पूर्वं कृतयुगं नाम ततस्रेतायुगं प्रभो । संक्षेपाद्द्वापरस्याथ ततस्तिष्यं प्रवर्तते
First is the age called Kṛta, then comes the Tretā age, and after that, in brief, is Dvāpara; then Tiṣya begins.
चत्वारि तु सहस्राणि वर्षाणां कुरुसत्तम। आयुःसंख्या कृतयुगे संख्याता राजसत्तम
O best of the Kurus, in the Kṛta age, the lifespan is counted as four thousand years, O best of kings.
तथा त्रीणि सहस्राणि त्रेतायां मनुजाधिप । द्वे सहस्रे द्वापरे तु भुवि तिष्ठन्ति सांप्रतम्
Likewise, O lord of men, in the Tretā age it is three thousand years; in Dvāpara, two thousand years remain on earth at present.
न प्रमाणस्थितिर्ह्यस्ति तिष्येऽस्मिन्भरतर्षभ । गर्भस्थाश्च म्रियन्तेऽत्र तथा जाता म्रियन्ति च
O best of the Bharatas, in this Tiṣya age, there is no fixed measure of life; here, some die in the womb and others die after birth.
महाबला महासत्वाः प्रज्ञागुणसमन्विताः। प्रजायन्ते च जाताश्च शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
In those times, people of great strength, great spirit, and endowed with intelligence and virtues are born, both by the hundreds and by the thousands.
जाताः कृतयुगे राजन्धनिनः प्रयदर्शनाः । प्रजायन्ते च जाताश्च मुनयो वै तपोधनाः
O king, those born in the Kṛta age are wealthy and pleasing to behold; and those born are also sages rich in austerity.
महोत्साहा महात्मानो धार्मिकाः सत्यवादिनः। प्रियदर्शना वपुष्मन्तो महावीर्या धनुर्धराः
They are of great energy, noble-minded, righteous, speakers of truth, pleasing in appearance, handsome, of great valor, and skilled with the bow.
वरार्हा युधि जायन्ते क्षत्रियाः शूरसत्तमाः। त्रेतायां क्षत्रिया राजन्सर्वे वै चक्रवर्तिनः
Worthy of honor in battle, the Kṣatriyas born are the foremost of heroes; in the Tretā age, O king, all Kṣatriyas are universal sovereigns.
सर्ववर्णाश्च जायन्ते सदा चैव च द्वापरे । महोत्साहा वीर्यवन्तः परस्परजयैषिणः
In Dvāpara, people of all classes are always born, full of energy and valor, each seeking to conquer the other.
तेजसाल्पेन संयुक्ताः क्रोधनाः पुरुषा नृप। लुब्धा अनृतकाश्चैव तिष्ये जायन्ति भारत
O king, in Tiṣya, men are born with little brilliance, prone to anger, greedy, and untruthful, O Bhārata.
ईर्ष्या मानस्तथा क्रोधो मायाऽसूया तथैव च। तिष्ये भवति भूतानां रागो लोभश्च भारत
In Tiṣya, O Bhārata, beings are afflicted by envy, pride, anger, deceit, and jealousy, as well as passion and greed.
संक्षेपो वर्तते राजन्द्वापरेऽस्मिन्नराधिप । गुणोत्तरं हैमवतं हरिवर्षं ततः परम्
O king, in this Dvāpara age, there is a decline; after that, the Himālayan region and Harivarṣa are superior in qualities.
जम्बूखण्डस्त्वया प्रोक्तो यथावदिह सञ्जय। विष्कम्भमस्य प्रब्रूहि परिमाणं तु तत्त्वतः
O Sañjaya, you have properly described Jambūdvīpa; now tell me its breadth and true dimensions.
समुद्रस्य प्रमाणं च सम्यगच्छिद्रदर्शनम् । शाकद्वीपं च मे ब्रूहि कुशद्वीपं च सञ्जय
Describe to me accurately the measure of the ocean, its true extent, and also tell me about Śākadvīpa and Kuśadvīpa, O Sañjaya.
शाल्मलिं चैव तत्त्वेन क्रौञ्चद्वीपं तथैव च। ब्रूहि गावल्गणे सर्वं राहोः सोमार्कयोस्तथा
And likewise, O Gāvalgaṇa, tell me in detail about Śālmalī and also about Krauñca-dvīpa, as well as about Rāhu, Soma, and the Sun.
राजन्सुबहवो द्वीपा यैरिदं सन्ततं जगत्। सप्त द्वीपान्प्रवक्ष्यामि चन्द्रादित्यौ ग्रहं तथा
O King, there are many dvīpas by which this entire world is encompassed; I will describe the seven dvīpas, as well as the Moon, the Sun, and the planets.
अष्टादश सहस्राणि योजनानि विशांपते। षट् शतानि च पूर्णानि विष्कम्भो जम्बुपर्वतः
O lord of men, Jambu mountain has a diameter of eighteen thousand and six hundred yojanas, complete in measure.
लावणस्य समुद्रस्य विष्कम्भो द्विगुणः स्मृतः । नानाजनपदाकीर्णो मणिविद्रुमचित्रितः
The diameter of the salt ocean is said to be twice that, filled with various peoples and adorned with jewels and coral.
नैकधातुविचित्रैश्च पर्वतैरुपशोभितः। सिद्धचारणसंकीर्णः सागरः परिमण्डलः
It is beautified by mountains of various metals and minerals, and is crowded with Siddhas and Cāraṇas, that circular ocean.
शाकद्वीपं च वक्ष्यामि यथावदिह पार्थिव । शृणु मे त्वं यथान्यायं ब्रुवतः कुरुनन्दन
I will also describe Śāka-dvīpa here, O King, as it truly is; listen to me as I speak properly, O descendant of Kuru.
जम्बूद्वीपपरमाणेन द्विगुणः स नराधिप । विष्कम्भेण महाराज सागरोऽपि विभागशः
O great king, Śāka-dvīpa is, by its diameter, twice the size of Jambu-dvīpa, and so is its ocean, in due proportion.
क्षीरोदो भरतश्रेष्ठ येन संपरिवारिताः । तत्र पुण्या जनपदास्तत्र न म्रियते जनः। कुत एव हि दुर्भिक्षं क्षमातेजोयुता हि ते
O best of Bharatas, the Kṣīroda ocean surrounds it; there, the lands are holy, and people do not die; how could there be famine, for they are endowed with the strength of the earth and energy.
शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावद्भरतर्षभ। उक्त एष महाराज किमन्यत्कथयामि ते
O bull among the Bharatas, the summary of Śāka-dvīpa has been told as it is, O great king; what else shall I tell you?
शाकद्वीपस्य संक्षेपो यथावदिह सञ्जय । उक्तस्त्वया महाप्राज्ञ विस्तरं ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः
O Sañjaya, the summary of Śāka-dvīpa has been told by you as it is; now, O wise one, tell it in detail and in truth.
तथैव पर्वता राजन्सप्तात्र मणिभूषिताः। रत्नाकरास्तथा नद्यस्तेषां नामानि मे शृणु
In the same way, O king, there are seven mountains here adorned with jewels, and mines of gems, and rivers; listen to their names from me.
अतीव गुणवत्सर्वं तत्र पुण्यं जनाधिप
Everything there is exceedingly virtuous, O lord of men.